The Essence of Magic
The Essence of Magic; How it works. The following is an excerpt taken from the scholastic journals of Lothlómendil Mothgalad, former Goddess of Magic. "On Chaon, magic is ever-flowing. Used daily for keeping our homes lit or our minds entertained, and for great acts of good or works of villainy; it is the core of our livelihoods. But few stop to ask, 'by what mechanism do these wondrous events occur? How is magic made possible?' Long years I have spent exploring the nature of the arcane arts, and it is to that end that I publish these findings. Everything that exists in the universe is fueled at its most fundamental level by the exchange and conservation of energy. Energy and matter, two sides of the same coin, interact to create the world we see around us. This is true of all realities. In Chaon, energy manifests itself in another unique way - the essence of magic. The planet is attuned to this form of energy that we know as mana, the illustrious trait that attracted the original gods to inhabit this world. The materials and living things formed in Chaon, stone and plant and animal alike, may all possess some quantity of this energy in one form or another. Unique elements like mithril and adamantium form under these mana-rich conditions; their wondrous properties born from interacting with this energy during formation. Just as a living things on earth intake energy and store it chemically, electrically, and in new types of matter (e.g. food in a human body becomes muscle, bone, fat, etc.), on Chaon this magical essence may be absorbed and stored and expelled by all living (and indeed non-living) things. Humanoids in particular are excellent at utilizing this energy. Once it is taken in, it can then be dispelled from the body, usually at will, causing it to interact and meld with the magical essence in the surrounding environment, thereby creating the wondrous effects that we call spells. By ingesting food native to this world or breathing in its air, even planar travelers may intake this latent energy and eventually utilize it. Like all energies, mana is not limitless. In the same way that ones chemical energy is used up by the muscles with excessive physical strain, so too is mana drained from the body with magical strain. Rest, food, drink, and direct exposure to mana can all restore one's reserves. But, not everyone possesses magical energy in the same quantities, or is equally capable of using it consciously. Many dedicate their entire lives to the study of how to harness mana and weave it into the fabric of their environment. Others have the energy flowing through them beyond their control, and must strive to contain it. Others still may never understand how to tap onto their natural stores, and are forever estranged from the art of magic. Mana energy may interact with itself just like other energies, in both constructive and destructive interferences. When one person casts a spell against another, regardless of the target's ability to consciously use their magical energy, it can still interact with the incoming spell and offset some of its damage. This is why spells that mimic natural events may not always have the same physical consequences, like a magical fireball mimicking natural fire - your own stores of mana will help you resist magical fire, but real fire may always burn you viciously."